Inspired by Song of Solomon 2:1-7, this conversation delves into the themes of humble identity, faithful distinction, real shelter, public covenant, honest desire, and patient wisdom within God’s design for love.
Scene: Late afternoon at a community garden. Two friends, Elena and Marcus, tidy the beds while the sun lowers behind a line of trees.
Elena:
Can I ask you something honestly? If God calls me a lily among thorns, how do I carry that without pride?
Marcus:
Carry it as a gift, not a trophy. If He names you, the point is His choosing. Where do you feel the thorns this week?
Elena:
In the pressure to prove myself. I want to be set apart, but I do not want to act superior. What does set apart look like for you?
Marcus:
It looks like drawing close to Him before I draw conclusions about me. Holiness is nearness. Does nearness change how you move through your day?
Elena:
Yes. Near Him feels like shade in the heat. I can breathe again. What gives you that kind of rest?
Marcus:
Scripture and unhurried prayer. Under His covering, I stop striving. What feeds you when you are under that shade?
Elena:
His words feel like fruit after a long day. But love should not hide. If His banner over us is love, should people see it?
Marcus:
Yes. Covenant belongs in the light. Love welcomes vows and accountability. What would it look like to make your love public in a faithful way?
Elena:
Clear promises. Wise counsel. Shared community. There is another tension: Desire can be strong. How do you keep desire from outrunning wisdom?
Marcus:
I slow down and ask for strength. Desire needs a home. Within marriage under God’s covenant, desire is rightly ordered, guarded, and holy. What guardrails help you stay steady?
Elena:
Boundaries, honest friends, and prayer before big steps. I do not want to awaken what I cannot keep before God. Do you ever worry that waiting is just fear?
Marcus:
Fear hides. Patience trusts. Waiting with God leans forward in hope. Can you name a joy that patience protected?
Elena:
Trust deepened before promises were made. Because we waited, nothing felt forced. How do you remember who you are when you feel small?
Marcus:
I remember what He names me. Identity is received, not achieved. Under His banner I stand without shame. Who does He say you are?
Elena:
His. Chosen. Not lost in a field of thorns. That settles me and also sends me. How do we keep this from being words only?
Marcus:
Practice small obedience. Tell the truth. Keep your word. Serve one another. Ask for counsel. These make love sturdy. What step will you take tonight?
Elena:
I will call my mentor and ask for prayer. I will set one boundary that guards my heart. I will thank God for naming me His.
Marcus:
I will review my vows and remember why they are public. I will ask the Lord to make my desire holy within the covenant.
Elena:
Then we keep walking with patience and hope. We refuse imitation loves and wait for the real thing.
Marcus:
And in the right season, nothing is stolen. Everything is received as a gift.
Under His banner, patience protects desire and love bears lasting fruit in its season.
Created by Steve
God’s Word…
Holman Christian Standard Bible
I am a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
2 Like a lily among thorns,
so is my darling among the young women.
3 Like an apricot tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my love among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banquet hall,
and he looked on me with love.
5 Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apricots,
for I am lovesick.
6 His left hand is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.
7 Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and the wild does of the field:
do not stir up or awaken love
until the appropriate time.
-Song of Solomon 2:1-7(HCSB)
The Message
I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon,
a lotus blossom from the valley pools.
The Man
2 A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds—
that’s my dear friend among the girls in the village.
The Woman
3-4 As an apricot tree stands out in the forest,
my lover stands above the young men in town.
All I want is to sit in his shade,
to taste and savor his delicious love.
He took me home with him for a festive meal,
but his eyes feasted on me!
5-6 Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly!
Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love!
His left hand cradles my head,
and his right arm encircles my waist!
7 Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,
by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:
Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,
until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.
-Song of Solomon 2:1-7(The Message)